The HomeGrid Forum has released software to boost the adoption of multi-gigabit home networking. The new VectorBoost open source software is expected to increase the adoption of multi-gigabit home networking across a range of residential housing, from detached homes and terraces, to large apartment complexes. The HomeGrid Forum believes that VectorBoost could also propel adoption of gigabit home networking technology by future office buildings.

VectorBoost is a feature of G.hn Access that allows twisted pair copper telephone wire to reach its maximum capacity, even under crosstalk from other subscribers in the same binder. It can ensure the optimal allocation of resources between the neighbouring lines in accordance with their real-time traffic needs and can run locally on a GAM (G.hn Access Multiplexer) or in the cloud.

VectorBoost can be fine-tuned to meet service providers’ requirements and can be easily upgraded as more computing resources become available in the carrier private cloud. In addition to mitigating crosstalk between pairs of a copper binder, VectorBoost optimises the allocation of spectrum by boosting the spectrum only for subscribers needed extra bandwidth. Coupled with coordinated Dynamic Time Allocation (cDTA), it delivers the optimal bandwidth allocation in real-time for each G.hn link.

With the GiGAWire solution, service providers can leverage G.hn Access technology through existing wires to cost-effectively provide last mile infrastructure in areas where optical fibre cannot be deployed all the way to the customer premises. G.hn deployment options are capitalising on complementary architectures to extend fiber networks with Phoneline and Coax-based P2P and Point-to-Multipoint (P2MP) infrastructure and topologies.

The VectorBoost Compute Engine runs as part of a GAM firmware or in a cloud server and communicates with each one of the VectorBoost Drivers that are running in the GAM. The innovation allows for the collection of the traffic updates from all drivers, analysis of the crosstalk parameters and computes the optimal allocation of power, spectrum and time slot usage to ensure that capacity across all lines matches the high traffic demands.

The statistical treatment of crosstalk relies on tracking the real-time data rates sent and received through each subscriber line, then adapting in real-time the power level used in each link to avoid the transmission of dummy signals, thus minimising the amount of crosstalk that each link generates on neighbouring links.

The implementation is built on MaxLinear’s cloud-based VectorBoost architecture, which is able to scale from single-port deployments to hundreds of lines in high-density MDUs topology. By leveraging an open-source design, bug fixes and new feature additions have already been made to the VectorBoost code base. These code changes are reviewed and approved by the HomeGrid Forum GiGAWire Task Force.

“The announcement of the open-source software is in response to network operators expressing an urgent need to accelerate their deployments with interoperable G.hn equipment that ensure optimal allocation of power, spectrum and time slot usage between subscriber lines,” said HomeGrid Forum President Livia Rosu. “The launch of HomeGrid Forum’s GiGAWire GitHub is focused on innovating G.hn Access technology allowing service providers and system vendors to leverage existing copper wiring within buildings, such as phone lines and coaxial cables while further customising their installations and equipment”

Paul Arola, Chair of the GiGAWire Task Force and TELUS Senior Design Specialist said: “The GiGAWire Task Force helps accelerate G.hn Access scenario deployments, allowing service providers to deliver cutting edge broadband access services to SFUs and MDUs that are unable to be served with fibre all the way. We encourage Service Providers to leverage their coax and twisted pair infrastructure for the last network segment and capitalise on the VectorBoost open source code for GiGAWire profile to further enhance their implementations for Network Function Virtualisation and deployments needing cross-talk mitigation.”

Dr Len Dauphinee, Vice President and CTO of Broadband Products at MaxLinear said, “A well-designed G.hn Access system should dynamically re-allocate network capacity between users to maximise peak speed to those users than need capacity at any given time, while minimising the resources wasted on users that don’t need capacity due to low traffic needs. MaxLinear designed the cloud based VectorBoost architecture to help scale broadband access installations to high-density MDU topologies that need crosstalk mitigation. We are delighted to have provided the foundation of the GiGAWire solution. The release of VectorBoost open-source code program comes to support the acceleration of the service providers deployments.”